B-1
Read entire operation section before
operating the
WIRE FEEDER WELDERS
WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK can kill.
• Do not touch electrically live
parts or electrode with skin or
wet clothing. Insulate yourself
from work and ground.
• Always wear dry insulating
gloves.
FUMES AND GASES can be
dangerous.
• Keep your head out of fumes.
• Use ventilation or exhaust to
remove fumes from breathing
zone.
WELDING SPARKS can
cause fire or explosion.
• Keep flammable material away.
• Do not weld on closed contain-
ers.
ARC RAYS can burn eyes
and skin.
• Wear eye, ear and body protec-
tion.
Observe all safety information throughout
this manual.
------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATION
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (PRODUCT
CAPABILITIES)
.
This small portable wire feed welder is capable of MIG
welding on steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The
wire feed welder is also capable of flux-cored welding
on mild steel.
MIG welding stands for Metal Inert Gas welding and
requires a shielding gas to protect the weld until it
cools. Appropriate shielding gas based on the type of
material you are welding can be purchased separately
from your local welding gas distributor. MIG welding
is ideal for welding on thinner and clean materials
when a very clean excellent cosmetic looking weld is
required. An example would be automotive body pan-
els.
Self Sheilding Flux-cored Welding does not require a
separate shielding gas to protect the weld since the
welding wire has special additives known as flux to
protect the weld until it cools. Flux-cored welding is
ideal for medium to thicker material and if welding on
painted or rusty steel. Flux-cored welding is also ideal
in outdoor applications where windy conditions might
blow the MIG shielding gas away from the weld. Flux-
cored welding produces a good looking weld but does
not produce an excellent weld appearance as MIG
welding does.
Your machine includes the necessary items to weld
with either the MIG or the flux-cored welding process
on steel. To weld on stainless steel optional stainless
steel welding wire can be purchased separately. This
machine can weld aluminum using .035"(0.9mm)
diameter 4043 aluminum welding wire. Since alu-
minum welding wire is soft an optional aluminum
spool gun is recommended for best results. A welding
Procedure Decal is located inside machine door to
help provide suggested settings for welding.
COMMON WELDING ABBREVIATIONS
GMAW (MIG)
• Gas Metal Arc Welding
FCAW (Innershield or Outershield)
• Flux Core Arc Welding
POWER MIG® 180 DUAL
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